Competitive crossword games and other word games generally involve the placing by the players of letters of the alphabet, such as by marker or letter designating play pieces, on squares of a grid pattern or "checkerboard" play board, in an attempt to form words. These games are typically governed by player knowledge, skill or intentional selection, during a series of plays, while minimizing or eliminating the element of chance.
Sherman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,595 shows a crossword game having a six sided die with special indicia to denote the number of letters to be filled in on a standard replaceable crossword puzzle. Each player in turn rolls the die and attempts to add a word to the puzzle. Scoring is based on the length of words filled in by each player. Winning is governed more by player knowledge than by chance.
White et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,157 shows a crossword game for only two players, conducted under a stated set of rules. Each player picks a given number of play pieces, each having an alphabetical letter designation and an assigned scoring value, the identity of some play piece letters picked by one player not being disclosed to the other. The players in turn place their pieces on a common crossword grid play board to form conjoined words, and note the score. The process is repeated a series of times to complete a game. The game is conducted so as to eliminate the element of chance.
Lissandrello U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,318 shows a word game in which each player has a "checkerboard" grid play board with recessed pockets to receive alphabetical letter designating play pieces for forming words. Each player in turn selects a number of identical play pieces equal to the number of players from preset stacks of play pieces having the various letters, keeping one and distributing the others to each of the other players. The players then place the play pieces in a pocket of their respective play boards in an attempt to form words. The game ends when all pockets are filled, scoring being based on the number and type words formed on each play board. This game is governed by intentional play piece selection by each player.
Rudell U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,597 shows a word game using a single play board with a waffle pattern of raised square shaped bosses on which alphabetical letter designating play pieces are to be stacked. Each play piece has a complemental offset square shoulder on its top side surrounding the letter designation, and a depending peripheral square skirt on its bottom side, for interlocked stacking on the play board bosses and onto one another thereon, to form words. Each player draws an equal number of play pieces from a pile. The players then take turns in attempting to form words. Scoring is based on the height of the stacks, assumably after the turn of each player. This game does not involve the element of chance.
It is desirable to have a word game for two or more players that involves random play selection for introducing an element of chance into a word game.